Wheelchair rugby wheelchairs are produced by disabled persons to enable a wheelchair rugby league amongst disabled learners.
What skills and resources were you able to draw from the community for this project?
Currently, a cost-effective development project is in progress where wheelchair rugby wheelchairs is produced locally (BFN) by persons with disabilities. Empowering people with disabilities with the knowledge and skills to be able to manufacture wheelchairs will promote their state of occupational injustice by giving them an opportunity to be part of the open labour market, leading to the feeling of belonging and well-being. This project aims to uplift people in the disabled community by providing skills development and employment. They will feel needed and that they are still valuable in the community. These wheelchairs will be manufactured for disabled athletes by persons with disabilities.
The challenges
People with physical spinal disabilities tend to have less participation in recreational and social activities, which leads to exclusion from friends and the community. By lowering the cost of the wheelchairs, a development program can be started in local schools for persons with disabilities in South Africa. The advantages this sport entails are wider than just a fun social activity. WCR will give the new generation of sportsmen the opportunity to partake in a sport on a competitive level, leading to stimulation of the brain in ways not usually given attention towards, improved physical health due to stronger muscles formulating and the individual getting fit are only a few of the benefits of the WCR project in local schools for persons with disabilities. Furthermore, social participation and group cohesion will develop due to the sense of belongingness leading to bettering of communication skills (verbal and non-verbal), conflict management, respect for others and discipline (on and off the court).
Addressing the challenges
WCR holds advantages on a physical, psychological and emotional level that leads to improving the general well-being of the persons with physical disabilities in South Africa.
The achievements
The people from Tswellang School are already partaking on Saturday morning practices with the Mustangs (Bloemfontein wheelchair rugby team) at the UFS RAG farm. This shows the compassion that they have for the sport and how eager they are to participate on a competitive way with other people of all ages with disabilities. This leads to the learning and acquisitioning of new skills. By implementing the pilot project at Tswellang school, stumbling blocks like transport, travelling time, only practising once a week will be limited and even solved. The facility will be closer to their homes which will lead to involving their community in the practice sessions and even competing against abled body persons.
Johannesburg, South Africa